Camping Holiday '14
by breather89
Summary: Sequel to Scared Now. Rick finds out that the ghosts and Larua are not entirely gone and are going to get them. But Larua has added some new rules to his game...to make sure he will get what he wants without interuption...and slight mishaps aren't going to stop him. Even though, eventually, someone will die...
1. Chapter 1

Camping Holiday '14

**A/N: This is the sequel to **_**Scared Now**_**, though some chapters are prequels. I really hope you enjoy this one as much as the last. To get in the really scary mood, read this after dark…**

_When Larua got his planned sacrifice failed, he wasn't really the sort to give up. He _was_ over two thousand years old. In fact, he wasn't too sure how old he was. Or even if he had a gender. What he did know was that one little girl still had a connection to him and he wanted to get her. Until he got another person looking at the reels or she died, she would be connected in some way to him._

_Anyway, Larua had one part of his life – if you could say deities had lives – that he really didn't like. His children could get unbearably noisy. True, he'd had two millennia of noisy children, but seriously, twentieth and twenty-first century children were the limit._

_He looked over in his dimension at the current children. BB was sitting down, reciting this children's programme theme tune. Jacob and Mark were arguing what was better, Beatles or Rolling Stones. Milly was styling Fall's hair and Hank, the oldest child, who'd arrived in 2008, was simply lying on the floor, arms behind head, looking at the ceiling._

_Larua had a few tricks up his sleeves. Tricks he hadn't used since…was it seventh or eighth century Italy; he wasn't sure about time._

_He turned to the children. "Children!" like soldiers, they all stood for attention. "I'm going back to Elmtree now. They've moved building so I'll probably get something. It activated a power I haven't used for a really long time."_

_He looked at Hank. "Make sure they're not going to mess anything up while I'm away." As he disappeared, Hank frowned. "Why do _I_ have to babysit them?" he groaned._

At Ashdene Ridge, Rick was sitting on the sofa, watching TV. Floss was by him, talking to Geoff. Aside from Faith, who was upstairs, everyone else was looking with May-Li at a selection of camping holiday suggestions at a travel agency.

He just couldn't get what had happened two months ago out of his head. Larua. The residents had barely escaped with their lives. Elektra had been moved to Harrison Orphanage, well, what it was _now_. Gina had been so shocked by what had happened, she'd had to leave. She said she was really sad to leave the residents, but she didn't feel too safe. And they'd had to move to another building just before Christmas.

But now Rick just tried hard to get on with his life. He didn't notice Larua was standing right behind him. Well, he wouldn't, Larua was in another dimension. But he could still see Rick. That boy was trouble. And Floss, his little Floss, sitting right by him.

Floss said, "Rick, I feel cold." He turned to her. "The heating's on." "No, my head feels chilly." He groaned, taking her hand. "Come on, let's go upstairs."

As they left, Floss looked behind her. She swore she'd seen something there. No, possibly her imagination.

When Faith was in her room, just listening to music, she laid her head down on the pillow. She was just thinking. She hoped the camping holiday would be good.

She didn't see what was also there. She didn't feel the cold breeze by her. In fact, she was so sleepy she didn't see anything.

_What _was_ there was Hank. And he was very bored._

_He'd decided to take the kids for a walk. Going through the dimension wasn't too long to get to the house. He'd just tried to see what else there was. And now, he'd found some girl's room._

"_Right kids," he said, "wrong room. I think the kitchen's downstairs." Milly argued, "But we cannae eat anything; it's solid." "Evaporation?" Mark suggested. Milly rolled her eyes._

_Hank then looked round. "Well, maybe not just yet." He smiled, going over to Faith. He smiled evilly to himself. "Well, there's a hot one if I've ever seen one." Fall made a face. Mark argued, "Hank, she's older than you." "Technically," Hank said back, "I'm nineteen so I'm older than her."_

_Jacob just said, "Listen Hank, we're all frozen at our age. Seriously, fifty years in the dimension? I've seen a lot and that girl's only good when you're blitzed." Hank frowned back at him. "Jacob, I know in your day I wouldn't be seen dead near the girl, but times change. And anyway, she's smoking hot."_

_He began walking his fingers down her waist before smiling. "Kitchen?" Milly demanded, making Hank roll his eyes before they began vanishing downstairs._

Faith stirred. She frowned as she let the music drift her to sleep. It was like she'd heard a boy talking. And he'd called her 'hot'. She'd never really had anyone fancy her before but seriously, she was loopy.

***Rick went to Floss' room, where she sat down on her bed. "Rick," she said, "I'm getting weird dreams." He frowned and asked, "What type of dream?" "Well, sometimes I dream that there's a man in a cloak talking to me. I can't really see his face but he's always there. He's got some other kids round him as well."

Rick felt a chill go down his spine, kneeling down to Floss' height. "Can you see them?" "Of course; there's a boy in white pyjamas, a girl in a red dress, another boy in pyjamas, a girl my age in gardening clothes, little coat and gloves, a boy your age in swimming trunks and a boy in a ghost costume. He's sometimes got an axe with him."

Rick licked his lip and then said, "Floss, if you ever get that dream again, tell me." She nodded as he left. He panicked. Was Larua really gone?

In the kitchen, he went to the cookie jar and tried opening it. When he did, he swore he saw a cupboard door open by itself. He paused, watching it, before turning to the cookies. Funny, he swore there was another one in there.

_Jacob looked up at Rick, as he held a double chocolate cookie. It was weird, how the boy looked like a chick, wearing bright colours. Then again, fashion had changed a lot since his time. In his room at the orphanage, he'd played with a teddy and a toy fort. Yeah, he had to share them with everyone else, but these days, kids just wanted electric toys. Pity, his toys were so much fun._

_He rarely thought about his time alive. All he knew was when he was 'alive' girls had more skirts and brought records. He remembered that when one of the older girls celebrated her fifteenth birthday, just two and a half months before he'd killed them, she'd played a new record. Jacob guessed that song would now be on radios in the nostalgia section. God, he felt old._

Rick picked up a cranberry cookie and walked out, just as everyone was coming back from looking at holiday options. He heard Lilly groaning, "I _said_ the one in Wales was a good option!" "Only because your dad's there." "No, it wasn't! it's because there's a lake to swim!"

May-Li argued, "Lilly, it's too expensive. We're going to the one in Kent. The apartment's nice, it's cheaper than some of the other options and it has a nice view. We're going at half-term so stop moaning."

Rick barely listened as he began walking upstairs. May-Li asked him, "Rick, do you want to know where we're going?" he turned and looked. "Yeah." "It's called Haven Camp in Kent. There are a few rooms at a large house in Kent offering out for the half-term. It's only fifteen minutes from the wood and ten from the sea. Walking, so you actually look at the sea from the window. It's great." She smiled.

Rick nodded. "OK." "Rick?" she asked, as he walked upstairs. "Is something wrong?" Rick paused. He didn't know if she knew about the situation which caused them to leave Elmtree House. "Floss had a nightmare." "Well, it's nice you're concerned but I'm starting to think there's something else." She said.

Rick tapped his fingers on the bannister. "Well, do you know what happened at Bonfire Night?" she nodded. "Mike told me. And it was in the newspapers anyway. Psycho tried killing a bunch of orphans and abducting a six-year-old girl, course it was headlines. Didn't say your names, obviously, but when Mike told me it was you lot I was surprised. You all seem so happy. But don't worry. I'm sure they're not coming back."

Rick told May-Li, "It's just that there was evidence it went back to the sixties." May-Li nodded. "I know. They suspected that two orphanage murders in 1964 and 1999 may be related. They also think that the murders at Harrison Orphanage could be related. But Rick, if anyone wanted to kill orphans, I severely doubt they'd try us again. And in such a short space of time."

Rick seemed to look unsettled, she thought, as he went upstairs. May-Li remembered reading the case last November, and again after Mike told her. She remembered looking at the front page of a national newspaper and seeing a black-and-white photo of a smiley boy and a photo of a little girl grinning at the camera and the headline in huge letters; COULD THESE BE RELATED TO ORPHANAGE KILLER?

In fact, May-Li remembered reading about Juniper Tree when it happened, though her mum thought she was too young to be reading. May-Li had remembered how awful it had been to read about a bunch of orphans being murdered.

But now, she just settled at the computer. Maybe it was something about the whole of them going to the beach but she remembered reading something. Going online, she typed in and found it.

She clicked on a video and it had a reporter at a beach somewhere with police tape. "A horrifying murder has taken place here at the beach by Freathy, Cornwall. Two members of staff and three children from an orphanage nearby went to this beach at 10.45am on Thursday morning. At 9.30pm last night, a porter from a local hotel was walking by the Cliffside and saw a beach umbrella floating in high tide; he called police and coastguard and they found the five bodies. Missing is Hank Worthy, 13," at this point a picture of the boy came up, "and police say foul play is suspected since the victims were found tied up with tape. Back to you in the studio. I'm out."

May-Li wondered. The police said this was suspected but not as strongly as the others since it could have been an opportunist. The fact it was an orphanage could be coincidence. As far as she knew, Hank hadn't been found. Some said he could have drowned and his body washed up while the others stayed, some said the killer had chosen the boy for a sick purpose and murdered the others.

She looked further down the page, where a memorial was. A large stone, erected at a church near their orphanage, and one small one at the entrance to the beach. She read it. _In memory of Jeffery Middlestone, Erica Parsons, Reba Herrin, Dakota Redtree and Bambi ToLudez_, and there was a small memorial next to it _Five Years On: Hank Orchid-Cherries, November 6__th__ 1994 – We will never forget you_.

It made her feel funny inside. People were missing these children and they were out there somewhere.

But she didn't know _how_ close they were to her that instant.

**A/N: Is it as good as the last one? By the way, here's some vocabulary from the 1960s.**

**Blitzed – drunk**

**Chick – Do I need to say?**


	2. Chapter 2

Summer Fun

**A/N: Warning! Some scenes of scariness. And sorry if the last chapter was a bit rushed, I was working under a ton of stress that day because the coffee machine wasn't working.**

Five Years, Five Months Ago

Hank leaned against the seat in the minibus. They were going to the beach. Only he and the other teens were going, the younger kids staying back at the orphanage with others, going on a little Scout thing. He groaned as he slept – he'd had a bad night. One of the little kids had been crying because someone had drawn a goat head on the wall. Some idiot had decided in inedible ink.

Mr Middlestone drove left, finally parking. "Right kids," he said, shifting the bus in gear, "we've arrived." He looked at the minibus logbook. As he wrote in black ink, Erica started getting everyone out. "7th August, 10.33am, arrive at beach near Fraley. Twenty per cent petrol left."

He groaned. In a week they'd be going to the cinema, taking the little kids to see some flick. He'd have to stop and get petrol on the way back.

Of course, if he did, they'd start groaning. Reba and Dakota and Bambi would insist on getting some stupid girly magazine and a sugar-free drink and Hank would want a chocolate bar or some computer or car magazine. And then they'd have to buy lunch. He supposed they could get some little packet of something but even so, it would cost ten pounds. Anyway, best to just enjoy a time at the beach.

***Hank sat down on the beach towel, as Dakota set up the umbrella. "Blow up the beach ball for me, will ya?" she asked, walking off. Hank made a face. This lot were so ungrateful. They kept everybody up all night with their giggling and girly fests. God! He hated it!

At least when he'd lived at home there wasn't anything like that. Or even anything _nice_ come to think of it. Apart from his mother shouting.

Hank looked across at Mr Middlestone, as he brought down a beach umbrella. He saw Dakota talking to Mrs Parsons and waited, letting them pass as Mr Middlestone came up.

"Mr Middlestone?" he asked.

"Yeah?"

"Well, those goat head drawings…"

"Listen Hank, I know you didn't do them, you can't draw that well, so what is it?" "How come they've been appearing?" "I don't actually know." He answered. "Just the kids messing around. Why?"

Hank shrugged. "I guess it's because I'm the oldest boy and everyone expects me to be either responsible or a total misfit. I just keep to myself. You know, I really don't like all this responsibility."

Mr Middlestone ran a hand down his hair. "Hank, you're nearly fourteen. Responsibility is a part of growing up. I know it's hard but you have to keep at it and you'll end up grateful for what we did for you. You've been with us for five years now, and I know what's happened to you has made you careless and moody but if you just try to put things behind you, you can grow."

Hank smiled quickly. It was nice when Mr Middlestone talked like this. Hank just felt exhausted. He didn't know what to do.

As they sat down on the towel, he looked right out at the sea. He didn't know what it was, but it was like he felt a presence over him. It was making him dizzy and sick, but at the same time, he felt as if it should not let him go. It was as if he knew it would hurt, but he never wanted to let the feeling go.

He just lay down on the towel, closing his eyes; let the warm August son bathe over him. He could hear the girls screaming as they splashed in the water and when the grown-ups were talking, but he just felt so relaxed.

"Hank?"

He slowly opened his eyes. It felt so cold now, despite the warmth that had been there at noon. He looked round. He could see the sand was now all grey, as if the sun was behind the cliff. He looked to his right and saw him.

A tall man, even taller than Mr Middlestone, in a cloak and grinning, standing over him. He couldn't see his face but he swore that this man wasn't dangerous. He knew he should be scared but it was something about the man. Something that made him irresistible, calm.

He produced a glass jug with a shiny green liquid. "Put this in their drinks, Hank."

Hank nodded. He didn't know it, but he was being brainwashed; like the hundreds of victims Larua had had for centuries.

He walked slowly over to the towel where the girls were sitting, sunbathing, smiling. He opened Reba's sugar-free drink and poured some liquid in, turning it an eerie green.

He then opened the water cooler and found four more drinks – Erica's water bottle, Mr Middlestone's Cola can, and two sugar-free drink bottles. He poured the drink in slowly, not spilling a drop.

He turned to Larua, now standing over him. He felt satisfied.

He didn't care what happened now. Larua had changed him, simply by being with him.

Hank then took a roll of tape that Larua gave him and sat over by the towel and beach umbrella. He watched as Reba sat up, taking a slug of her drink and carried on talking a lot of nonsense about TV talent show and some celebrity news gossip from some magazine or other. He saw Mr Middlestone sitting, reading his book by the steps, Erica taking a walk down the cliffs.

It only took a few moments for Mr Middlestone to take his drink from the cooler and for Erica to take her water bottle when she got back, putting her sweater round her middle. And for the girls to lie asleep on the towel.

Larua gave Hank the shovel. He dug five cylinders in the sand, all deep. He then dragged Mr Middlestone's body from the steps to the holes. He shoved him in the one nearest to the water. Then he dragged Reba from the towel, furling the edge of it, to the second. Erica, Dakota and Bambi went in the others.

Ripping the tape, he put them on the victims' mouths before burying the sand right up to their necks. Tapping the sand with the shovel, making sure it was hard, he stood back.

Larua had removed all love the boy had had for these people, simply by being in the orphanage.

Then Larua then hank the camera. When it had started to get dark, and the sky turned a reddish-pink, Hank put the camera by his eye and filmed. He looked at Bambi as her head began to sway, her eyes opening. Then she looked at Hank in complete surprise. _What was going on_?

Hank then stepped slightly back as the water began creeping upwards. He looked over at the beach umbrella, which had become unhinged and floated in the water, the towels floating, soaked. He also saw the drink cooler lodged at the stairs. Hank focused the camera on the bodies as the last, Dakota, began looking round her, the sand cracking as she attempted to get her body out of her living tomb.

The tide now went over the five bodies, leaving their heads underwater. Hank smiled, set the camera down on the beach and walked toward the water. Larua looked at him, as Hank turned to the camera. He put his finger by his lips and then walked in the water.

And when he touched the water, Hank went into the other dimension. Which he had never stepped out of.

2014

May-Li looked at the documents she needed to sign. The apartment they were going to was divided into three bedrooms and a dining room on the top floor, roughly two-thirds of the top floor, and the activities nearby included fishing, hiking and canoeing. She figured that she'd try to let everyone like it.

It was strange really. Her mind kept wandering back to the missing orphans' case. Mike had told her that one victim, BB, had almost come to their care home, just two days after the murder.

She frowned, thinking about it. She'd look it up. What was the name of the place? She swore Mike had told her.

Harrison orphanage. She typed in _Harrison Orphanage murder_. She found a news article from a few days after the murder and began to read.

The first picture, of course, was of little BB. A smiling eight-year-old looked out at camera, wearing a little white uniform. Then it had a picture of police tape round the large house.

_There is still no information regarding Benjamin Benedict's whereabouts. The eight-year-old vanished on Monday from his children's home during a Halloween celebration. The eight-year-old was last seen by neighbours as they handed sweets to him and other orphanage trick-or-treaters about 8.50 that night. The other orphans and the three members of staff present at the orphanage were found murdered at 8.00am on Tuesday morning._

_An autopsy on the bodies found in the front hall say the dead had been there roughly six to ten hours before discovery and had all been stabbed._

_A theory is going about by looking into files at the children's home that BB may have been taken by either someone was denied adoption or someone who planned to take an orphan due to having no relations._

_However, the police say the killings were 'ritualistic' and that if BB was not dead at the scene then there is still a chance he could be alive._

There was quite a lot more, talking about the history of the care home and the victims' tragic lives but May-Li didn't look through that. What did catch her eye was a bold rhetoric question.

_**IS BB THE FIRST VICTIM? POLICE IN TORQUAY THINK OTHERWISE – TRAGIC EASTER DEATH MAY BE RELATED TO HARRISON HOME**_

_However, investigations from Torquay say that a very similar case twelve years ago may be related to this murder. In both cases, a young child was taken and the rest of the orphans brutally murdered._

_Fall Jacobs, 6, was found missing from Juniper Tree Orphanage in Torquay on Easter Sunday 1999._

_The rest of the residents, aged 11 to 15, were due to go to a fete at their school nearby, to help preparations for the next day. When an organizer noticed they were absent, he went over to the house. Upon finding everyone missing, the police were called._

_Police found that no one had seen the residents since Good Friday, when Fall and another child went with a member of staff to the local post office to buy sweets._

_The contents of the dead's stomachs proved that the deceased had eaten Easter eggs before their deaths._

_The dead were found buried alive in the garden. The first three bodies were dug up on Easter Sunday, the rest on Monday and Tuesday. It was believed that young Fall was among the dead._

_However, an entire search of recently dug-up earth in the garden proved the little girl was missing. The police put out road blocks all over the country and all traffic leaving the UK, particularly at Plymouth and Torquay ferries, but with the child missing for four days, there seemed likelihood she was already dead._

_Fall, who would now be 18, has become of the Britain's iconic missing children. She was a suspected victim of a cult, as ritualistic drawings were found all over the children's home, and police say there is a 70% likelihood that the people who took Fall took BB._

May-Li looked at the little picture, a blurry, 1990s photo of a little girl holding a stuffed bunny on a picnic hamper in some garden or field or something. She was smirking a little bit, May-Li noticed.

She just didn't know how serious this would be personally.

**A/N: Sorry, got a bit carried away writing the article. Anyway, what do you think will happen in the next reel 'Camping Holiday '14'? By the way, I really hope you find this chapter good enough.**


	3. Chapter 3

The Nightmare Returns

**A/N: Well, I hope the second chapter was better than the first.**

Faith was in the girls' bathroom, brushing her hair. She tried hard not to think about what happened yesterday. It probably meant she was starting to lose it.

She was focusing when the light above her started to flicker. Frowning, she looked up. Odd.

But looking back in the mirror, she swore she saw something there. Not an actual shape but instead of light particles, there seemed to be dark particles.

Then she shrieked. She felt someone had pinched her on the bottom!

She turned, half blushing, half furious. No one was there. She sighed, ran a hand down her face, put the hairbrush down on the side and went downstairs.

Mike was in the office, looking at the pile of papers May-Li had set beside him. They were all printed off online, going back to the sixties. "May-Li, what are you doing?" he asked.

May-Li, lifting her head up from the computer, looked at her. "Oh, you know you said the attack happened and you had to move? Well, I was looking online at similar attacks."

Mike groaned. May-Li went on. "There's one from the eighties in the Highlands – these girls were found to all have suffered heart attacks _at the same time_. The eight-year-old was missing; no one ever found her. There's also one from the sixties –"

Mike put his hand up. "May-Li, I think we need to talk."

He sighed. "May-Li, this…really affected the kids. Harry, he was the only one who wasn't here when it happened; he started wetting the bed again. Rick was in a state for weeks and Lilly – she started seeing horrible drawings over the walls in the days before it happened – she freaks out if she ever sees a goat now."

May-Li asked, raising an eyebrow, "And you? What about you?"

Mike struggled to find an answer. "All I remember is when I was in the garden. I noticed the children starting to get tired so I went in the kitchen to get a coffee. I just sat at the table and fell asleep. Next thing I know, I'm on the den floor and then the window's on fire. And I look round and everyone is struggling, crying. And I…" he looked down, "I truly felt we were going to die. I felt I'd failed them."

May-Li stammered, "I…can't imagine how hard…it must have been for you."

Mike licked his lips and drummed his fingers on the desk. "They feel like my kids. It was like watching your own kids die and you couldn't help them."

He didn't want to admit it but he still had nightmares about that night. And whenever he tried to comfort the children whenever they woke up in the middle of the night, somehow, it seemed like he was trying to comfort himself. It had been the worst experience of his life.

***_she stood right by the door. Not fair. This was a pretty room. When she'd been alive, she'd had to share a room with Zoe. And Zoe snored. This girl had a room to herself._

_Fall frowned, leaning by the door as she saw the girl eat a chocolate cookie. She had pretty hair, too. Fall had stupid blonde waves. This girl had long dark hair. _She_ wanted that hair._

Jody turned to the door. Strange, it felt someone was there. She just carried on eating and reading her book.

Then her head jerked to the side, someone pulling her hair. A voice lisped in her ear, "_I want your life_!_"_

Jody screamed. Suddenly she felt the invisible hand let go of her hair as she heard Mike running up the stairs.

"Jody, are you all right?"

"No," she sobbed, "someone pulled my hair. And I couldn't see them." Mike looked at the hallway. He hadn't seen anyone come up. He just wondered who could have hurt Jody.

_At the attic at Harrison Orphanage, Fall appeared panting. Hank turned to her. "Fall?"_

_She answered, "I pulled…pretty girl's hair."_

_Hank groaned. "Fall, listen, OK? I know it was hard enough resisting going back to their place, but Larua, God knows where he is and we need to obey him. I don't think he'll be much longer but he told me to be in charge."_

_Fall pouted._

"_Why?"_

_Hank told her, "Because…I don't know, because he thinks I'm mature." Hank sat down cross-legged, groaning. The afterlife was so hard sometimes. Technically, this was between life and death, none of them were one hundred per cent dead, but sometimes, just looking after a bunch of kids was hard work._

_It was like when he was alive – everyone expected him to be mature because he was a teen. There were so many things he wouldn't be able to do. Drive a car, pass his A-Levels, even reach fourteen! But at the same time, everyone, Mr Middlestone, his social worker, his teachers, and now Larua, had seen him as mature simply because he didn't display his emotions. Could he help it that when he was little showing his emotions was a sign of weakness?_

_Hank just wanted to make things better for himself. He seemed to find problems everywhere. Excitement when Larua said a new child would be coming last November, disappointment when she never arrived. Glee when Larua said that there was still a chance to kill everybody, annoyance when it was taking a long time. And now, Hank just wanted the between-lives to get a little better for them._

_After all, he and BB and Floss and Fall would have a long time in the between-lives; Mark and Milly less so and Jacob was due to reach the afterlife in just under a year. He'd want them to have…possibly changes of scenery. Things to do. He hadn't watched TV in five years._

"_OK guys," he said, standing up and clasping his hands together, "I remember Larua discussing his powers and what powers _we_ get if we stay here long enough. So, here's what we do._"

May-Li was looking at the picture Lilly had given her. This was a picture of the goat head that she kept seeing on Elmtree's walls. It just…looked so odd.

She didn't and it. And no one else in Elmtree was to know it. But soon, the biggest tragedy to ever strike the orphans would come _very_ soon.

**A/N: Please review?**


	4. Chapter 4

The Plot Thickens

**Nearly Fifteen Years Ago…**

Fall turned over in her bed, holding her bunny. It was Easter in just under a week. Mr Farrow was getting some Easter eggs today and she and Zoe were painting them. The others considered themselves 'too old' for childish painting.

When she toddled out of the 'Little Girl' Room, with a picture of a pink butterfly painted on the front, she heard noises downstairs. "Well I didn't paint it!" Katy was shouting at Ms Blofwitz. "Just you stop there – you know that the drawings are frightening the kids; just say where you got the paint!" "Oh, so just because _I_ was the one that went to the paint store you think I drew it!"

"פשוט שתוק לרגע! Just stop it!" she heard Blofwitz scream, before Fall heard a pan smashing and Blofwitz began thumping upstairs. She began swearing, in Hebrew or Turkish, Fall didn't know, and quickly rushed past her to the bathroom. Fall knew she was getting the stuff locked under the cupboard she wasn't allowed to go in that had coloured liquids.

Fall followed Ms Blofwitz downstairs and followed her.

She saw her scrubbing hard at a drawing of a goat's head on the wall, grimacing as it ruined the plaster but the ink didn't budge.

"Ms Blofwitz?" she asked. Blofwitz turned, and then smiled at her. "Fall, that…argument was just because I was under…pressure. Do you know what that is?" Fall shook her head.

"It's when we're doing lots of things. And we can't keep up with it. Listen Fall, I think you and Mr Evergreen are going out this afternoon to get some little chocolate Easter eggs. Just try to be happy, OK?"

Fall nodded, knowing that she would do her best. It was the holiday and she didn't want to spend all of it in her room or listening to everyone shouting. It was bad enough in care.

***When Blofwitz went outside to see Mr West, the head care worker, he was coming back in the car. He'd taken Edward and Jacob leaves to sign up for some football that summer. They came running out the car, heading toward the side gate.

West looked right at the assistant head care worker, telling her, "I really think we need a rest this holiday. I mean, the teens are nearly grown up, plus we're getting smaller soon. There's still a chance we could get funding but recently, those…drawings."

West looked downward, swinging as he stood. "Well, just get everything ready for the Easter egg hunt. Don't tell them, but I've made a lovely chocolate cake for them."

Blofwitz smiled. She knew how hard it had been recently, with the inspectors coming, and they had hardly anything. No money for a summer trip. She was _not _looking forward to a summer with grumpy, bored children. She knew they were saving up to buy one of those new-fangled handheld video game things but she was thinking already of cheaper options for Christmas.

As she walked in the office, she sat down on the swivel chair, put her hands on the desk and rested her face on them.

The inspectors had said they'd better shape up or bad things would happen to them.

Of course, _they_ weren't very nice anyway. They'd broken a vase and blamed it on the children and called her and Zoe _very_ insulting names. But Blofwitz just had to try.

***That night Fall slept in her little bed, cuddling her bunny. Zoe was up anyway, reading with a torch. And eating crisps. The staff would be furious if they saw but hey, it was the holiday now, they couldn't actually make them angry.

Zoe glanced to the left slightly, to the full moon light from the window, squinting. Was it her or was there a shadow there?

Looking slowly toward the window, she saw him. A man standing there in a cloak, grinning widely.

She screamed. Within seconds, the door was thrown open, West had turned the lights on and Fall was cuddling her bunny.

"Zoe?" he asked, concerned. "I saw something at the window!" Zoe screamed. West looked. "Zoe, there's no one there." She looked back toward him. "But there _was_."

"Listen Zoe, it's late, we're all tired, just try to settle. It won't be long. Remember, we've got Easter eggs in two days so be happy, OK?"

Zoe nodded, going under her duvet as the light turned off.

***Two days later, as Nina helped Fall look for eggs around the plants, Zoe sat on the tartan picnic blanket and Blofwitz put the green drink in the jug on the table, West just sat at the table, thinking.

The whole thing with the drawings had seemed to stop now but he just couldn't help thinking something else was going to come up. And he was worried about the children's futures.

Seriously, what parent or guardian wouldn't? but now, he just couldn't help it.

When Blofwitz sat down by him, she asked, "Do you think they're happy?" he nodded. Then she asked, "What's wrong?"

"Well, the inspectors said we're running out of money. I mean, look at them – they're so happy and enjoying themselves. I know what you say, it's a time of change, the millennium's coming, the world's going to get peace, but personally I think we're just stuck in the deep end. I can't let these kids go without a life. I care for them. It would break my heart if anything happened."

Blofwitz simply held his arm. "West, you know the world's getting better. I've contacted some charities and they're organizing some places in the next year. We could go round some castles and maybe fly abroad. Seriously, anything. Or, if you're not up to it, maybe we can rent some videos and I can get a takeaway at Christmas? Just a little treat for them?"

West smiled. "I know you're optimistic," he told her, "but I just…have this feeling something bad is going to happen. That these kids are ending up in massive trouble and…I dread what's going to happen."  
Blofwitz told him, "Just enjoy the present, West. Just try to be happy."

"_Fall?"_

"_Hmm?"_

"_Can you hear me? I'd like you to do something for me."_

"_OK. You feel good."_

"_Very good Fall, now, there's a shovel in the shed. When everyone's asleep, let's go get it._"

Blofwitz sipped at her drink as the others greedily ate their chocolate. She was trying to make it happy for everyone but she wondered how it would turn out this Christmas. She knew it was a long way away but she really thought that they wouldn't have many presents this Christmas.

She knew that they had fun now, but soon…Zoe and Fall would want dolls, the boys would want a football, Katy would want some new cassettes…and the world seemed to be going to pits. She knew she shouldn't whinge, there were lots of people like her suffering in the East, but with Aids, school shootings and all the problems with these children swearing and blaring music late at night, she didn't know how to sort these kids out.

Blofwitz just sipped her drink and closed her eyes. _Please, please, don't make me live through trouble_.

When she finally opened her eyes, it was dark. How long had she been asleep? She looked round, just as a car headlight shone from above.

Above?

She looked round. It was hard but she made out she was surrounded by Easter eggs and was on a flat child's cart. The twins were by her. She then noticed they had black tape on their hands and mouths. She tried moving over but found she was trapped.

She looked up, shocked. She heard dirt being shovelled. Oh no. oh no, oh no, oh no!

She pulled against the tape and saw it was at least four feet deep. She didn't know how to escape. What had happened to everyone else? Where were there?

Then she heard patting. Someone was patting the soil over another grave. Grave.

She looked up, wondering who on earth was up there. She blinked as soil flew in her face. She then looked and dimly saw the twins moving slowly, before several heaps of soil fell on their faces and chests.

Thankfully, it ended before they could wake. But as for her, she just had no idea.

What monster was doing this? Why was he targeting them?

Then a flash of lightning drifted past. And she was far too shocked to do anything.

Fall was standing at the top of the grave, holding a shovel in one hand and the camera in another. She threw more soil down.

Blofwitz kicked and tried to scream but soon it had fallen all over her knees. The weight pressed down and she looked around wildly. Then her legs simply froze up. They couldn't kick any more. The last things she saw were Fall pushing more soil over and another flash.

The nightmare was over, just as soon as her nose was stopped.

Fall looked up at Larua as she finished the last grave. He offered his hand and as soon as she took it, they began walking to the side gate. At the side gate, Fall turned to the camera and made a shush noise with her finger, before turning and disappearing.

2014

Rick was looking at the brochure for the holiday. Camping in the wood, canoeing, swimming, climbing…so many opportunities to get killed.

It was the next holiday coming up. Larua attacked holidays. But what exactly would happen to him?

He had nightmares of being drowned in the lake or hung while climbing. Or even being burnt alive in the tents or the minibus. But he just knew that Larua would try and get him. Destroy him. Destroy them in the worst possible way after what Rick did.

But what could he do? Who would die? Who would live?

What Rick didn't know is that people _would_ die this time. And it would break him more than anything.


	5. Chapter 5

Powers

**A/N: Listen, I haven't had many reviews and if you really like this story, just say.**

**Forty-Nine Years, Two Months Ago**

Little Jacob slept in his bed as the door opened. The orphanage owner saw the little boy asleep. He closed the door. He needed more sleep.

Walking downstairs, he heard the older girls were up already. Susan, the oldest girl here, only fourteen years old, was reading some stupid magazine, her radio blaring. He stormed over and switched it off.

"Hey!" Susan argued, looking up. "Susan, I am _not_ having illegal music in my house!" "Mr Hay," she said, standing up and ready to go, "Radio Caroline is _not_ illegal. It's much better than what the BBC has." "It's still a pirate radio station!" he shouted after her.

"Mr Hay?" one of the other employees asked, as he came in through the front door, letting snow drift in. "Oh hello Graham," Mr Hay answered, as he went to the kitchen, "the children are a bit grumpy today." "Well, it's the day before Christmas. The shops are filled out, the bosses are bummed out the places are closing, the kids are bored. Seriously, you know how likely we are to get everything."

Mr Hay simply looked round at Graham, saying, "Well, just don't let on we may not have much this year."

***As the sun slowly began to set behind the endless industrial houses and factories, the orphans cheerfully strolled in from the freezing streets, after snowballing and sledding.

Jacob ran in first, along with Jade, the little Jamaican girl, before Susan lagged behind, mumbling _Girl_, the new single, with Anne, slightly younger, shorter and plainer than Susan, groaning about how the shops weren't open.

Elizabeth, the second-youngest girl at barely thirteen, and Timothy, the oldest boy with long hair and jeans, were already inside, setting table. Timothy asked Graham, "What are we doing on Boxing day? Because…well, I'm going to the _Ruby_ and…it's going to be a gas-"

Graham interrupted, raising a finger, "It's expensive Timothy, and you know that. And I don't appreciate all that hip-moving anyway." Timothy groaned, arguing, "Yes, but the best records are playing there! You _never_ allow them here! And Heather's going to be there." Graham frowned. "Who?"

"You know, that blonde girl with the cherry lipstick in Elizabeth's class." "The one whose parents let her wear short skirts?" Graham almost raised his voice. "Well, yes."

Graham sighed. "Boy, only if you don't misbehave."

Timothy grinned, before going to the garden.

***"J_acob?"_

"_Yeah?"_

"_It's OK now. You're with me. Do you think you need me?"  
"I guess I do. I feel tired now."_

"_My powers do that, Jacob. It's this odd effect on my children. Anyway, see those decorations?"_

"_Yes?"_

"_The tinsel on the tree, do you think you could do something for me?"_

Timothy opened his eyes. He'd been asleep on the couch last time he checked. Now he was by the fireplace and he seemed to be sitting up. He looked round, seeing the tree.

Jacob was standing there, holding a camera. Timothy then saw everyone else was beside him, tied up. He tried to move, but found himself bound too.

Timothy panicked. He saw Jacob holding the tree, on a little toy cart, as well as the camera, and Jacob was pulling the cart along.

Timothy suddenly felt himself rise a little. He began kicking his legs as he felt himself drawn up. He heard muffled noises near him and realised everyone was awake.

Looking back towards Jacob, he strained. _No._

Some seconds later, they were still swinging. Timothy swore that Elizabeth and Mr Hay had stopped swinging, their eyes wide open. He just knew those two were dead and he was dying.

He then just let his pain take over him.

***2014

It was night at Ashdene Ridge.

The end of January, cold, wet and windy. Never a good time. Now, Rick was up, having a bad night. He couldn't sleep. The trip was two weeks away and he dreaded what Larua would do. Mike would say in these situations, not to worry about something until it was important, but this was life or death.

May-Li was up and in the office. She was on the night work and she had a lot of work to do. Sleepy, exhausted, over-exhausted. She just felt her eyelids droop and her vision blur.

But she had work to do.

And was it…or was it just her imagination?

She heard music coming from the kitchen. Old music. She swore it was what her mum used to put on when she was having a sixties swing.

"_All about the girl that came to stay…_"

She listened carefully, as she walked into the kitchen, looking round. She saw a record player on the side and groaned, walking over and picking up the needle. Then she stopped, looking around.

The kitchen was completely different. Like she wasn't in Ashdene. Let alone the twenty-first century.

The washing machine was out here and it looked different. The door was open from top to bottom and square-shaped. A silver rectangular dish was on the side and when she touched it, it felt hot. The only thing she seemed to recognise was a blender and even then it was turquoise!

The chairs around the kitchen table were white and _very_ soft, as well as multi-coloured dishes on it. Shelves around the room were supported with thin bars and made of glass. On them were little things like mantelpiece clocks and a small calendar as well as a dial-up telephone.

May-Li felt as if she'd been transported into an American 1960s film. There was even a poster of a rocket on the wall in black and white.

Then her heart nearly stopped as she heard the phone ring.

Cautiously, she went over, not knowing what to expect.

"Hello?" she asked, picking up the receiver. "Hello." A little boy in a Midlands accent answered. "Who is this?" he giggled and answered, "Do you like the way I've done the kitchen?" she rolled her eyes. "Listen, if this is some joke…" "It's not a joke. You don't like it, you can bug out."

She frowned. "What?" "Leave." "No! I'm in charge!"

He giggled again. "I think you'll find _we're_ in charge."

Then the line clicked.

She turned around, going out the room. Just a load of rubbish. She'd tell Mike about him when he came back. Probably just one of the kids' friends calling up. Whatever, Mike would make him pay for the damage.

Upstairs, Rick just tossed and turned in bed. He kept seeing Larua's scary face, his cackling when the house would burn…

Then he sat up, nearly sick. He was just dizzy. He walked out to the bathroom, without turning on the light and just breathed heavily. He wiped his hand down the side of his face and groaned. Then he swore he saw the door creak open.

May-Li was going upstairs when she just felt so tired. She didn't know why, she'd had shifts before, she was just sleepy. Then she noticed someone in the hallway.

It was a little girl in a green overall and white sleeves. Her tired mind didn't really register and she just mumbled, "Floss, it's late." Then she properly looked at the girl. She had blonde hair. Floss had ginger.

"What?" she asked herself before the girl came forward. May-Li could see her more clearly. There was nothing wrong with the girl's clothing, except she had been wearing them so much they were slightly darker, but then May-Li saw her eyes. Her panda-like eyes.

Huge circles and cracks all over her face.

May-Li just stared. She didn't know what it was. Was it because it was late? Or because she was worn out?

Whatever it was, she was distracted when a huge flash of lightning lit up the whole room. She could see the girl properly now, and saw her frowning face. Then, just as suddenly, she disappeared.

Rick had stood up properly when he noticed something in the mirror. A boy, about the same height as him, dark hair and dark circles under his eyes. In a pair of swimming trunks.

Rick turned and saw nothing.

Relived, he just turned back to the mirror. And got even more shocked.

He saw two eyes, like cat's eyes with a tiny slit. Yellow, haunting eyes, staring right at him. He jumped back and pulled open the door, running back to his bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

May-Li stood there in shock for a moment before she listened. Footsteps. In Jody's room. Walking briskly up, she slowly opened the door. The girl was there again, standing over Jody. The girl's tiny, pale hand reached out towards Jody's face.

"What are you doing?" May-Li ordered and the girl turned. There was something about the girl's face that seemed familiar but May-Li couldn't figure it out. "_Pretty girl_," the girl hissed, "_pretty hair. Pretty figure. Mine._"

Then something so terrifying and fast happened that May-Li wasn't quite sure what took place.

The girl reached her hand out and then May-Li felt her throat tighten. She sank to her knees and on the floor. The girl, still holding a hand in May-Li's direction, looked at Jody, brushing her hair. May-Li reached across, choking for breath, to the chair by the chest. Then she threw it as hard as she could, at the girl.

Her throat felt normal. The girl disappeared into thin air; Jody abruptly woke up when the chair clattered. "May-Li?" she asked.

May-Li stood up and told her, "Jody's everything's OK. It's going to be fine."

But when she walked out, she felt as if she ended to sit down.

_Hank asked Fall, "Why did you do that?" "Well, Larua's getting closer, right?" Hank nodded. Fall told him, "So, remember what he said? We can lure some of them into getting close to the ritual area."_

_Hank told her, "Fall, I'm not really interested in that. I'm interested in other things." Fall giggled. "Well, _we're_ not luring others. I…just thought I could possess her, but instead of using her to lure others, just until it's time to go, I could have her life."_

_Hank groaned. "What? You're doing worse?" Fall commented. Hank just told her, "Look, when you get to my age and you've had my background, you think these things. I saw my dad do it loads of times. To Mum. And others."_

_He thought back. Where _were_ his parents anyway? His dad had gone to prison when Hank was nine, and he'd got eleven years, so he'd be out this year. His mum he cared less about. She hadn't been any help._

_But now, Hank was going to get what he wanted. And he even thought Larua would agree with what he did._

May-Li walked into Floss' room, the only one with the light on. She saw Floss sit on the bed, staring ahead. "Hey there," May-Li asked, "what is it?"

But Floss just looked ahead. "Floss? Floss!"

**A/N: here's a vocabulary.**

**Radio Caroline – illegal radio station in 1960s**

**A gas – fun**

**Bug out – leave**


	6. Chapter 6

Closer

February had arrived. Rick was no closer to understanding what had happened with Larua; why the goat head drawings weren't up, why he was taking so long. Could be because he was playing with them. Or Rick.

Larua was sneaky – he'd had practice. All the boys and girls he'd taken over 2000 years. Exactly where he came from Rick didn't know. All he knew was that Larua had been worshipped by pagans.

But now, after the massive storm and seeing Floss go into shock, he couldn't understand what Larua was after. And when he'd arrive.

The date for the camping holiday was 16th February to 19th February. Just two weeks away. Rick knew there was little chance of survival if Larua ever got to them. And Floss…little Floss…was she _really_ in shock or just being brainwashed?

In fact, Floss just stared into space and talked to herself. Was she talking across to Larua?

Rick had redone his room. He had pictures up in his room. Large ones of Jacob, Mark, Milly, Fall, Hank and BB with a few MISSING posters and newspaper articles taped all over his wall. He also wouldn't let anyone in his room. Mike was really confused and May-Li seemed to think there was something wrong with him.

Rick just kept staring. He'd also written in red pen on his wall. LARUA, I'M WAITING. Just in case…

_In the other dimension, Milly and Fall looked round. It was _so…_ boring. So Milly suggested, "Why don't we go for a walk?" Fall smiled, as they disappeared to Ashdene Ridge. Fall looked round and smiled. "This place is nice. I think I'd like it."_

_Milly frowned. "Like it?" "Well, remember what Larua told us – every full moon before a murder…" "Oh Fall," Milly complained, "I really don't like it. Anyway, he said that it's so we can lure others to the ritual."_

Then both girls turned as they heard a door open. Tee ran up the stairs, only stopping when she realised the chill. Then she ran up again.

"_See?"_ Tee listened. It felt as if she'd heard a voice. Then she felt as if someone was…pawing at her clothes. She turned round, frightened. No one there. She quivered, before running fast up the stairs.

"_I told you," Fall smiled, crossing her little arms, "irresistible." Milly grinned, but then asked, "Seriously? She's what – thirteen? I'm eight."_

_Fall said, "Hey, they're all over ten. It's hard to make your mind up anyway, the other girls are ugly." Milly grinned, then said, "Well, I guess it's not so bad. Get rid of the ponytail and I think I'd look nice. Anyway, I was _always_ complaining I could never join in with the others because they were older."_

_Walking up to the corridor, they saw Rick's door was open. Frowning when they saw the pictures, they went in. Milly looked around, stunned. "He's…gone a lot of research." Fall was looking at his chest of drawers, a small pile of papers positioned in scruffy fashion._

_Blowing, the papers fell gently to the ground. Fall kneeled, having a look on her hands and knees._

"_It's…what the papers thought we'd look like…if we were still alive."_

_Milly sat down, cross-legged, at a picture of her. Underneath it said, _Milly Southeast, who vanished on 14th February 1982 in the Highlands at 38, for the thirtieth anniversary of the massacre at her orphanage.

_Fall read hers. "_Fall Jacobs, who was six when she vanished in Torquay in April 1999 at 19._"_

_Milly sniffled, even though she couldn't really cry. "I look like Mum." She said. "She'd be old now. I never…actually thought about her."_

_Fall grinned slightly, even though she too was upset. "I…always wanted to grow up." Then she looked at Milly. "This is our chance, Milly. We…have a small time being alive again before we…go back. I mean, you've spent over half your time between lives with Larua. I've got seventeen years after you go. I'm going to miss you."_

_Milly rubbed her eyelids. "But…maybe after we go to an afterlife, we can…be together. I never…really know what was after. I mean, Charleswin was Church of England, so I was Church of England. Well, technically, it's Church of Scotland but we were severely Protestant and if we were bad, we'd go to Hell." She softly smiled. "I think we're living in Hell."_

_Fall smirked. "Let's go."_

Jody, sitting down at the laptop in the den, didn't notice Mo come in and sit on the couch. Mo just decided to be to himself. He didn't know what it was but he'd felt extremely tired and stressed last night. He decided that he'd try to go to bed earlier.

Both didn't seem to notice the children slipping in their dimension.

Then again, who can?

Jody suddenly jolted up straight, arms and legs together, looking up with wide, pleading eyes. She just stared straight at the ceiling above, struggling inside.

Then it stopped. She rolled her head down, looking straight ahead.

"_God, that hurt a bit_." Fall moaned, stretching Jody's arms and legs and feeling her hands through her hair, after letting the bun down.

Then she jerked suddenly.

Inside her mind, Jody began to look around. She didn't know what had happened but something had taken over.

"Who's that?" she called, looking round. All she saw was a garden at night, surrounded by blue walls with drawings on them. And what looked like fresh earth.

She saw a chair nearby, with a little girl on. A girl in a green dress and green shoes.

Then, it all stopped. Fall flew out of Jody, walking to her dimension. Mo just looked as he saw Jody slump to the floor. "Mike!" he screamed, "Mike! Jody's fallen over!"

_At the attic, Milly glared at Fall. "What did you do that for?" she demanded. "Well, I'm trying her out."_

"_She's not clothing, Fall!" Milly shouted, before sitting down. "I know you're desperate, but just…wait until its right. We're dead, we can wait a few weeks!"_

_Mark asked, "What are you talking about?" he walked over to the girls before he leaned to Milly's height. "Fall wants to possess one of the girls because she likes her life."_

_Mark smiled. "I might want that. Hey, a chance to possess for Larua is something. He'll even agree to it."_

_Fall grinned. "I said so!" she gleefully bounced round as she sat down, Milly looking at her crossly._

"_Well, we need time. We can get them away from the others when they go to the holiday and then there's more of a chance for us to get them confused and awkward."_

_BB came up, his hands behind him, like a playful youngster. "Can I try?"_

_Milly answered, "Of course. But remember, we need best fit. Larua's different – he can possess anyone he wants. But we need the closest in age and gender. Aside from Floss, the youngest girl's twelve, so we'll have a bit of a time. But the youngest boy is ten, BB, so you can if you want."_

_Fall said, "I'm taking the girl with pretty hair. She's the youngest girl and anyway, I always wanted to grow up."_

_Milly said, "I'm taking the teen with a ponytail. She's a sister and that'll mean she might get unwanted attention when she's acting odd but I'll try."_

_BB asked, "What's the little boy like?"_

_Milly told him, "He's blonde and looks and sounds much younger. You'll fit perfectly."_

_Mark frowned, "Who can _I_ control?"_

_Milly suggested, "Maybe look around the place. See who you like."_

"_OK." Mark got up and looked over at Jacob and Hank, talking about some old film or other. "Hey, want to come?" They looked up._

"_I've got other plans." Hank answered briskly. Jacob smiled and said, "He wants to play hanky-panky with the coloured girl."_

_Hank glared at the younger – older – boy, and told him, "What I do is none of your business."_

_Milly simply said, "Hey, we don't care. We're body shopping. Want to come, Jacob?"_

_Jacob shook his head as Hank grumpily stormed off, vanishing._

**Forty Years, One Month Ago**

"Oh come in!" she groaned, "It's just a small party, you dig?" Mr Wins looked right at Esme, making the girl look nervous.

He was standing by the sink in the kitchen at the orphanage. It was Boxing day and Esme had asked if she could go see some classmates and go to a party. He told her, "Esme, it's going to be late. And all they'll be doing are smoking. I don't want you touching the stuff."

"But I hate being here! Orphans don't go on holidays!" she winged. "You're such an annoying idiot."

"Hey, don't talk like that!" he pointed at her as she walked up the stairs to her bedroom.

Flopping down on the bed, she folded her arms as little Mark came in. "Esme?"

She threw a pillow at him. "Go away!"

He asked, "Esme, do you really want to go out?"

She frowned at him. "Yeah."

"Well, have you tried talking to…"

"Did that. And I hate him. He's annoying." She turned round and grinned at the younger boy. "How about if you don't say I sneaked out, I get you chocolate?"

Mark nodded and left for his room.

Jim and Georgia were in the living room downstairs, watching a BBC Christmas thing. As Mark walked in, he asked, "Where's Mr Wins and Ms Lyn?"

"Shopping." Georgia commented. She sat up on the couch and began looking at the cardboard box nearby. It was filled with old Christmas junk that no one liked but they just had it out anyway.

"Here," she said, rummaging in and throwing a Mickey Mouse alarm clock at him, "set the time right on it, will you?"

Mark just groaned, walking out.

A few days later, at the dinner table, Esme was walking down the stairs when she asked, "Mr Wins, are you sure I can't go to the party?"

"I'm sure because it's just a load of drugs and smoking. I don't want you to get hurt." Esme groaned. Mark then tapped his croissant with his fork, staring at it.

"Mark," Mr Wins told him, "stop playing with your food. Just eat it."

Mark said, "Mr Wins, I feel funny. There was a shadowy man in my room last night."

Mr Wins groaned. "Listen, whoever's been drawing those stupid drawings on the wall better stop, you're frightening him."  
"Wasn't me," Jim mumbled, "so don't blame me."

Mr Wins told them gently, "I don't care who did it, but it's annoying us."

That night, Mr Wins poured himself a glass of brandy and got a plate of cookies. Ms Lyn was upstairs reading a bedtime story to Mark, Jim was in his room and the girls were – hopefully – asleep. Though if Esme had got out, he'd show her.

He then took a sip of brandy, feeling slightly dizzy. Oh well. New Year, new problems. That was always the same.

Was it him or was the drink slightly green?

He looked up and saw Mark standing at the foot of the stairs with an alarm clock and a box of matches. "Bye bye, Mr Wins."

When Mr Wins' eyes slowly opened, and he looked round the table. On chairs were Ms Lyns, Jim, Georgia and Esme. All asleep, bound and gagged. There was funny liquid all over the table. It smelt funny.

Petrol.

Mark was winding up the alarm clock, right by the boiler room. A few wires from the clock led inside the room.

Mark also held up a camera. An old 8mm one.

Mr Wins watched as Mark slowly walked round them, focusing the camera on them, before stepping backwards out the door. Wins struggled, but it was too tight. Then he heard something.

The alarm ringing midnight.

There was a huge flash of light and his chair fell over backwards. He could hear Georgia and Esme rocking their chairs and saw the fiery roof fall on them.

He didn't feel anything else afterward.

***2014

May-Li started wiping the surface in the kitchen. Whoever had thought it was a good idea to buy 60s furniture had really made it hard to trace. Apart from the fact it was on Mike's credit card. And it cost over £550! She really wanted to get who did it.

She turned round, seeing Jody at the door, hair loose and smiling. "Oh hey, Jody, what do you want?"

Jody just simply smiled. Was it May-Li, or were Jody's eyes slightly green?  
"Oh, I'm fine. I'm better than I've been in a long time."


	7. Chapter 7

Almost End

May-Li opened the door to the den. OK, that was it!

The room was filled with vintage furniture. There was instead of the couches, a fifty (or longer) inch green-and-blue plaid couch without a back support, a chair with red velvet padding and a black and white spotty rug.

The TV had gone, replaced with a cinema screen shaped one, partly hidden in a coloured cupboard, a wall clock and the table was now an oval top with green and white cushioned seats. A portable tape player was where the laptop used to be and it was _huge_. It was square-shaped with a glass cover and cassettes. And there were just a small bunch of toys by the door – hula hoops, toy cars and silly putty. An Etch-a-Sketch sarcastically asked, _Do you like the den?_

No, she did not.

The kids just seemed OK with it. They'd reacted much better than she thought they would. Johnny and Tyler actually – to her surprise – liked the new TV and Floss had started showing emotion again, bouncing on the couch. When she came in to ask about dinner, she saw Faith reading on the couch with Carmen half-asleep on the couch. Bailey was outside with a football and Rick was also out there, just thinking.

But Jody, tee, Mo and Harry weren't normal.

She'd seen Mo playing with a – also vintage – tape recorder and talking into it.

Tee was staring right at the TV and for some reason, eating crisps May-Li thought she didn't actually like.

Jody, god, that girl had started plaiting her hair like a little girl and playing with it. Her voice was also a little higher, like a child's.

Harry was making gun gestures and shouting, "Pew! Pew!" at the wall.

She thought there had to be something wrong with them.

Going into the study, she saw Mike had his glasses on and was reading a bill. "Mike, I…"

"Seven hundred and sixty-seven pounds." He barely managed to say. "Whoever's been using my credit card better own up soon because they're in trouble." He looked up. "Any idea?"

"Well, the usual ones actually don't seem uninterested, but Jody, Tee, Mo and Harry are being odd."

Mike frowned. "I don't think Mo or Harry know how to use a credit card. And Tee would never do that."

May-Li asked, "Do you think Jody might?"

Mike replied, "I don't want to press judgement, especially as her brother's a known convict, but I'll ask her."

The rooms had also been changed round as well, May-Li found when she went up to clean the little ones' rooms. Harry's hadn't changed too much, but a little tape recorder was by his duvet and there were little toy horses, toy cowboys and a small garish cowboy outfit. And Geoff was plonked on the bed.

But the others, it just looked absurd.

Mo's had a lava lamp on the table, a Frisbee, a cassette player with – for some odd reason, Rolling Stones and ABBA – cassettes aligned, a walkie-talkie, on his bed was a horizontal striped sweater and plain grey trousers and slippers.

Tee's was just as bright. There were photos and pictures May-Li recognised as her mum having, a handheld TV, a bean bag and – to May-Li's surprise it could fit in the bedroom – a fake fireplace with paper fire. She dreaded what Mike's bill would look like – if he was angry now, this would be a fortune.

There were also tiny cars, a toy hideous horse, a stupid, child-like brightly-coloured plastic camera the size of a microwave, a bright tape recorder and some cassettes along the side.

Jody's room had been completely redone – the wallpaper was pink and green, which made May-Li sick, an odd-shaped pillow May-Li swore she used to have (she seemed to remember they glowed in the dark), little plastic dolls and horses, another tape recorder (this time pink) and a toy bunny against the pillow.

When May-Li went out in the corridor, she stopped, part shock, part horror and part fury when she saw Tee come up. The girl was dressed completely differently.

A white lace long-sleeved shirt and a long blue skirt with a huge ribbon round her waist. Also, she'd…had she permed?!

"Tee, _what_ are you wearing?" May-Li demanded. "You look like my mother." Tee smiled.

"I think you'll find I actually decided to…try a few new things out. After all, I'm not a little girl now. I'm thirteen. And I need to do a few things."  
May-Li folded her arms. "Have you been using Mike's credit card?" Tee didn't say anything, just leaned against the wall.

"Tee, this could cost him over a thousand pounds. I don't know what you all think you're doing, it's not funny!"

But the girl replied, "Hey, it's groovy, May-Li. I just wanted to try a few different things." Then she turned round as she walked to her room. "Oh, do you think you could order _Gremlins_ on video? Because I was told before I was too young but now I'm old enough."  
"Absolutely not!" May-Li stormed before going downstairs.

Rick was in his room, staring. For some reason, a hideous 1970s telephone, complete with cheetah (fake) fur round it, was directly opposite his bed. A note next to it said, _Time to Talk, Rick_.

He dreaded what would happen if he did. Or even if he didn't. But he gingerly decided to pick it up. Hands shaking, he put it next to his ear. "Hello?" he asked, before just hearing a click.

He turned the paper round. _666_. He frowned, angry, and then dialled the number. He knew how to use a phone like this; he'd seen it in an old film. You put your finger in a circle and wheeled it round to the number you wanted.

When it began to ring, he listened. "Hello, Rick."

Larua.

"Listen," Rick licked his lips, "what are you doing? Why do you still want to attack us?"

"Rick, I need Floss. She is spiritually bound to me until someone else finds the projector. I doubt that you can even fathom my power."  
Rick nearly shouted, "The place looks different! There's sixties junk in the kitchen!"

A harsh, cold laugh. "Rick, I have had many enemies. Some were my worshippers' enemies, some were my own enemies. I have seen the Persians and Greeks, Romans and Celts, endless European conflicts. And now, a little Celt boy wants to mock me. No, wait." Silence. "You are mostly Saxon and part Irish."

Rick asked, "Just…why are the others behaving oddly?"

"Explain?" Larua seemed confused.

"Some of them are acting like they come from another time. Jody's dressed like a child."

Then Rick had to put down the receiver and jumped back when he heard what sounded like an inhumane roar. It sounded just like a beast. Larua was angry. Really angry.

Then a click. It ended. Rick's heart pounded fast.

Then Mike opened the door. "Rick, what was that?"

Even though Rick would never normally do it, he was so scared he hugged Mike.

Surprised, Mike asked, "What was the noise?"

"Nothing."

Mike then walked over to the phone. "I really have no idea who's been taking money. I owe £3832.25 to historical furniture companies, plus I have two bikes, a barbeque and God knows what else coming."

He looked round at Rick. "Are you sure nothing's wrong?" Rick nodded. "You can tell me."

Rick looked down. "Nothing's wrong. I'm fine. Just…I'm tired."

Mike began thinking. He'd seen lots of pictures in Rick's room earlier. Pictures of houses cordoned off, of bodies being laid out, of interviews, timelines and endless articles. And pictures, age-progressed. Mike could tell.

The pictures were all of the orphanage murder cases. Mike wondered if what happened in November had set Rick off, maybe made him scared, got him worried about what would – or could have – happen to them. Whether anybody was still watching them.

And Mike knew that something _was_ wrong.

**Thirty-One Years, 357 Days Ago**

"It's cold!" Chloe moaned, as Mr Thornston opened the door. She brushed snow off herself as she stepped inside and fluffed her dark hair.

Mr Thornston demanded, "Where have you been, young lady?"

She snorted. "The town, obviously."

Milly, in the doorway to the living room, wondered what Chloe meant. The nearest town was a five-minute drive away and it was the middle of February. And it was dark.

"You stupid girl!" Mr Thornston shouted. "Don't you realise you could have died out there! What did you buy anyway?"

Chloe thrust a pink paper bag towards him and stormed up the stairs. Milly saw Mr Thornston take out a lipstick, a pair of pink gloves and a pleated skirt dress, wrapped in plastic.

"This!" he shouted up the stairs. Milly slunk away, chewing her nails. She sat back down on the recliner, where her book lay. The television was blaring some American programme, but she didn't take any notice. She didn't like it when people shouted.

Mr Thornston came in. "Milly?" he asked. She didn't answer.

"Milly, I understand that you don't like it when I shout…"

"It's not just you," she answered, "it's Ms Grange, Chloe, Savannah and Tiffany as well. I get scared all the time. I _hate_ being the only child here."

"Well, maybe when they're out later this week at the Valentine Ball – though I doubt Chloe's still going – maybe you and I could do something? Have a takeaway or go to the cinema? There's a movie out, I don't know if you'll like it."

Milly shrugged. "I'm just tired. I want to grow up."

He smiled at her, holding her close. "Milly, I promise when you're grown up, you'll have a perm and a new dress and you can watch that weird ghost movie coming out this summer. _Poltergeist_ or something." She grinned back at him.

"Thank you."

***A bit later, the older girls were sat round the table in the garden. Chloe complained it was freezing, Savannah was simply putting lipstick on (not that she needed any, the girl looked like she'd fallen on makeup) and Tiffany was fluffing her hair.

Ms Lyn was bringing out a large chocolate heart-shaped cake, and the girls whooped. Milly plodded behind and drew a chair.

As the girls greedily stuffed their faces and talked – except for Chloe, watching her figure - the girls were unaware of something watching them…

When Mr Thornston opened his eyes, he could see he was on the deckchairs. They usually put them away for the summer, but because of the celebration, they'd brought them out.

He saw Milly at the table in semi-darkness, a big camera by her. Thornston looked down at himself. He'd been tied with tape to the chairs. He looked to the right and saw the girls and Ms Lyn there as well. His heart pounded. What was going on? Why hadn't Milly saved them? Unless…she'd done this as a prank. Why?

Milly looked up, stuck her fork in the rest of the cake and took the camera over. "Looks like I'm not growing up, Mr Thornston," she said as his blood ran cold, "but don't worry, you'll go to a better place."

He watched as she rolled up Chloe's sleeves and injected a red syringe into her arm. Chloe twitched, jerking, her fingers tapping and feet twisting. Sharp, quick breathing and the chair rocking slightly, as Milly moved on to Tiffany.

Mr Thornston didn't want to look. The girls were dying. Milly was putting something in them and it was killing them!

He just didn't dare get away. This was unbelievable…

***2014

Johnny came into Tee's room and stopped when he saw what it looked like. "Err, Tee, I thought you were too young for _Poltergeist_." He said the second he saw her new TV, a handheld with a video recorder and some video boxes on a shelf underneath of seventies and eighties movies.

She turned to him. Milly contemplated her situation. She'd never had a brother. In fact, after four years at Charleswin, a majority female orphanage, she'd never really had proper contact with boys. And this one seemed snappy.

"I'm fine." She said, turning back. Johnny sat down next to her. "Tee, you're acting…just weird. I mean, you're talking like Mike, redoing your room and dressed like Madonna! Is something wrong?"

Milly turned to him. "How I express myself is my decision. That's the problem with men; they always want to be the dominator. At least that's what Mrs Johnson said. I wonder what happened to her. She'd be in her seventies now. She nearly got fired after the feminist's exhibition in Inverness."  
Johnny raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"My maths teacher."  
"No, Tee, I meant…you're talking rubbish."

He nearly jumped back when her head turned towards him sharply, her ringlets bouncing, her eyes staring. They looked _very_ green and luring, endless, haunting him.

Johnny backed out of the room and put a hand on his head as he walked downstairs. Everything was…so odd. What had happened to his sister?

_Jacob looked up as Larua came in the dimension, glaring. "They just went off. The others want to have lives, Hank's obsessed with the girl."_

_Larua turned, fuming, growling. He had enough. But then, stopped. He smirked, sharp teeth glinting._

_This could be an opportunity. After all, he was master and they were just high servants. He had an even better way of making his plan blossom._

_Water, water everywhere, filling the corridors and touching the walls of stone._

_His yellow cat eyes gleamed as he concentrated on his biggest challenge yet._

17th February

The minibus reared up, ready to go. Mike sat in the driver's seat, May-Li beside him. Behind them was Rick, by himself, thinking. On the back row, Tee, Mo, Jody and Harry, all in their vintage outfits, looked out the window and kept pointing at things, fascinated.

He just knew Larua had done something. He just didn't know what. And how.

When they reached the campsite, he just felt so tired. Going to the room he was sharing with Johnny and Tyler, he lay face-down.

Downstairs, as the last of the children were shown their rooms, Bailey touched his stomach. "Mike, I feel sick." He told him.

Mike groaned. He looked at May-Li. "Is it all right if I take him to the minibus?" "It's OK."

But at the main doors, Bailey threw up. All over the grass.

After a long talk with the manager, it was decided that Mike drive Bailey back to Ashdene Ridge and May-Li could control the children by herself.

***That night, a van was driving through the streets near Ashdene Ridge when he saw someone in the road. He screeched to a halt and caught a young boy or man in the headlights.

"Watch it ya…" he repeated rude words. He then saw the boy or man's eyes properly. Was it him or were they yellow cat eyes? Creepy.

He just sped off.

The figure stood outside Ashdene Ridge, grinning evilly. This was his final challenge.


	8. Chapter 8

End

**Two Years, Five Months Ago**

In Harrison Orphanage, Mr Hadsham held BB's hand as he walked out the orphanage, going trick-or-treating. He'd been having trouble sleeping lately, with all the goat head drawings and the worrying reels he'd found.

But he just didn't know. He didn't know what would come up. Walking BB out the main gate, while he held his pumpkin bag and wore his ghost costume, he asked, "BB, is everything fine?" "Yeah." BB smiled at him.

"I thought you'd dress as a cowboy tonight." Hadsham queried.

"No." BB answered, looking down as they walked to the first house.

"BB, is anything wrong?"  
the boy looked up at him. "If…you didn't want to do something, but someone told you that you had to otherwise you'd regret it forever, would you do it?"  
Hadsham stopped and knelt to the eight-year-olds' level. "BB, is someone threatening you?"  
"No, just a man in my dreams. He says he's from another dimension and he's as old as the Bible. He says that if I do it, I'll be happy and live in peace and if I don't, he'll make someone else do it and I won't be able to control myself because I'll end up in pain."

Hadsham answered, "BB, do what you think is right."

Hadsham would regret that.

***_Interesting, to my surprise._

_Two thousand years and this is the first time I have actually committed a sacrifice for myself._

_True, I have seen _so many _sacrifices. But actually taking part in one, this is different._

_Should I have said how it would affect the children? Or at least, those they took? They are in trouble when they come back to the dimension._

_So many homes, so many countries, so many civilizations. Deity, fugitives, ruler._

_It was odd. Rick has been the first human to talk to me._

_I really have had so much power. Make the rain fall, stop a battle or bring a king success. Everyone was the same. It was just…_

_Orphans in the past have been valued as little. Thrown to wolves or in the case of Rome, used as sacrifices. I just welcomed them to my dimension if they were sacrificed to me; a much better place than the ends of Earth._

_But then, people got smart. When my people – I am not really certain if they became Roman slaves or thrown in coliseums – _did_ like me, there was always an argument. I wonder really what happened to them. Of course I know they stopped worshipping me and turned to other deities. Jupiter, Yahweh, the Africa gods. Maybe their masters made them._

_Power has that affect. Fear of your masters can make you obey them, just as I did._

_No matter, following the orphans was a lot of fun. I've had lots of home styles in my dimension; Roman cells, Dark Age prisons, Renaissance wells (partly because the monasteries where orphans often lived made me feel light-headed) and later actual orphanages, in Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Poland. I moved so many times in the early twentieth century I can hardly keep count._

_Air, fire, water, earth. The uses of sacrifice. The Greeks believed everything was made from those, the Middle Ages had them as alchemy, even now they are seen as both creation and destruction. So as you may expect, they became sacrificial uses._

_Hung by tinsel. Burnt by boiler. Drowned in blood. Buried alive. Drowned on a beach. Drowned by their blood again. And nearly burnt by fireworks._

_But now, let's see and have a bit of irony. Water quenches fire. So maybe I will use water this time._

Faith woke to an empty bedroom. The girls she were sharing with, Carmen, Floss and Tee, had already gone. Not that Tee had been very exciting that night. She'd spent half the time listening to old songs and watching old videos downstairs on the old television, then about midnight it was like she'd shut off completely, cross-legged on the sofa, eyes closed.

According to May-Li, Jody had done the same when in the bathroom and Mo and Harry had done it in the boys' room, scaring Johnny, Tyler and Frank half to death. Just silent like that. Then they'd just opened their eyes.

Their terrifying, green eyes.

The four had been extremely sleepy lately, often shouting into thin air, as if arguing with themselves. They'd been like this for about a few days, maybe a week. Since the new stuff moved in.

Creepier, when they were asleep, they'd get up, as if sleepwalking, more than one noise would come out of their mouth and then they'd suddenly wake up and act bewildered. She thought they needed a rest later.

She'd tried calling Mike but couldn't get through. She guessed he'd be tired. She didn't know what to do now. She had everyone ready for the first activity – abseiling on the lake – but the problem was, she had to make sure everyone was properly awake.

Johnny, Tyler, Frank and Rick were already up, at the boat, and Carmen, Floss and Faith were at the other, but Mo and Harry were already sitting on the boat, staring, while Tee and Jody were also in their boat, eyes wide and ignoring everyone.

She really didn't know what it was. When she looked closer at tee that morning, however, she saw that a few of Tee's hairs were turning grey and she had frown-lines, which someone her age shouldn't get.

And Mo had been really sleepy recently and starting to get slightly deaf. They all looked exhausted and they'd acted older, much older. It wasn't just the way they dressed, it was because their voices had sounded older – Tee and Mo almost sounded like grown-ups.

On the boats, Tee and Jody were sitting alone at the edge of the boat, silent. May-Li sat down next to them, as the boat went off.

"Tee, Jody, is there something you're not telling me?" she asked. The two girls ignored her. Jody just fiddled with her plaits, Tee looked down at some old eighties book. May-Li didn't know what to do.

These girls were impossible.

She looked down at the bag by Tee's feet and noticed it was open. Without either girl noticing, she opened it. Inside were childish drawings. One was of a tall house with mountains behind it. There was a crime scene notice round it. The next picture was of a school with a teacher inside, and one of the students, a little girl, was ringed in red.

The next picture said _I miss them_. There were drawings of two adults, a man and a woman, with three teenage girls in 1980s clothes. And a date. 14th February 1982.

The next picture was of a house with a beach nearby. Pictures of little rabbits and Easter eggs. A little girl on a swing, in a green and white dress and plaits.

Underneath it read _Juniper Tree, 2__nd__ April 1999_.

May-Li remembered these dates as being the ones from the articles. But how had these girls done it? Had they felt sorry for the two little victims and been confused, acting like them? It made sense. In reality, it was her only explanation.

When they stopped off at an island in the middle, May-Li saw Tee and Jody, hand-in-hand, walk into the trees. "Tee! Jody!" she shouted after them, but they ignored her.

"Just leave them." Carmen remarked. May-Li turned.

"Why?"

"Because they've been weird."

May-Li looked back at the two, walking in. following them, she found they'd stopped.

It was almost midday, with the sun shining right in her eyes. But even so, she could just make them out. Was it her, or was there something different?

Tee didn't look like a teenage girl, she was taller and her hair was now loose, shoulder-length and brown. She was still wearing the stupid 1980s clothes, but she looked more like forty.

Jody was also slightly taller, the plaits gone, instead she just had blonde long hair, tiny stud earrings and red heels. She looked more like May-Li's age.

The two girls looked at each other and May-Li began to see they looked completely different. Their faces had changed, had aged. But the weirdest thing was, it wasn't just that they'd aged, it was that it seemed like two other faces.

Then they seemed to walk away. But the creepiest thing was, even though they seemed to have walked off, two girls still lay on the ground, arms outstretched. May-Li just stood in shock as she saw two apparitions simply disappear and two girls on the ground.

Then instinct took in and she ran forward.

"Tee? Jody? Wake!"

She shook Tee slightly, before the girl murmured and opened her eyes. They were now longer glowing green. They were normal.

"May-Li…I'm tired. I've been…fighting for…control. I want to go to bed."

Meanwhile, the other boat had stopped off at the little beach by the other side of the lake. Tyler, Johnny and Frank were just all sitting down on the bench provided, while Rick had walked off. Something was happening today and he knew he had to stop it. He just didn't know how.

He just knew Larua had done something to the other children. Mo and Harry were right by the water edge now, looking into the sea. As Rick gingerly came up by them, he glanced at the water. Where Mo should have been was a man about fifty, in a red sweater and brown jeans, like Mo was wearing, his hair slightly grey, looking unhappy. Where Harry should have been was a different boy – with black hair and wearing a little cowboy outfit. They seemed somehow familiar.

Then it clicked. Rick identified the two as the age-progressed pictures of Mark and BB.

He asked, "What are you doing in those two?"

The boys looked up, glowing eyes boring in. Mark answered, "We wanted a life. We took it, Rick. It was nice while it lasted and they're fine, they've just been fighting so much for control."

BB told him, "And I liked having life back. We're only kids."

Rick asked, "Did Larua put you up to this?"

They shook their heads. "No," Mark answered, "but we had fun."  
Rick pointed at them angrily. "It's _their_ lives, boys! You took them and used them! What have you done?!"

BB simply said, "Rick, when I went, I was a happy eight-year-old with toy horses and I wanted to be a cowboy. Failing that, a surgeon or a horse rider. I had good grades, I was having fun. And Larua took it from me."

Mark told Rick, "I was just an interested boy. I was a kid, Rick. You can't blame me. Look at my reflection." Rick glanced. "I would be that if Larua hadn't taken it. Who knows where I would be now? I'd be what I wanted to be – acting or making sure things weren't broken – I'd possibly be married, with the family I'd wanted. Don't blame us."

Then he grinned evilly at Rick. "Actually, you have no idea until you get back to Ashdene Ridge. Larua's looking for you. You're getting it."

The two boys held hands and began walking, as the sun brightly shone in Rick's face. Two figures, one grown, one small, walked right in the water as Mo and Harry lay flat on the beach.

May-Li tried ringing Mike again. She groaned when she wasn't able to get through. When the boats had sailed back to the main house, Tee, Jody, Mo and Harry had been bewildered, slightly sick and dizzy. She'd tried calling him forty-eight times, leaving voicemail, she was so worried.

Faith was in her room, lying down on the bed. She just felt so tired. She didn't understand it. Then she saw someone at the door.

Rick.

Was it her or did he have glowing green eyes?

A police car drew up outside the manor. May-Li walked over to it, curious and annoyed. What is it?

An officer got out. "Excuse me, I'm looking for May-Li?"  
"Me."

"Well, there seems to have been a homicide at Ashdene Ridge…"

_At about midnight the previous night, Mike had apparently woken up when the bell repeatedly rang. When he went back in, he'd seen a drawing of a goat head on the door. Slightly worried, he went up to Bailey's room to wake him but had found him awake._

_The boy had been sick again. So Mike put his coat and boots on and had told Bailey to get dressed. When Mike had gone downstairs, he'd taken a sip of his coffee but then noticed at the bottom there was green liquid, just before passing out._

_But he'd also seen someone at the door. With a camera. Rick._

_When Mike had woken up, he was tied to his chair in the office, Bailey was on the floor, asleep and tied up. A strange old camera was resting on the desk, while Rick was sitting across him. With glowing yellow cat-like eyes._

_Then Mike heard the trickling of water._

_A reel had been found in Ashdene Ridge, left in one of the girl's rooms. It said _Camping Holiday '14_ on it, with the first bits of footage apparently shot in the dormitories, with children identified as Carmen, Floss and Faith walking round and enjoying themselves. Then it had snapped to Ashdene Ridge, with Mike and Bailey in the office._

_The camera had shown a walkway from the bathroom, where the taps and shower head were left running and the toilet blocked, to the kitchen, where the sink was blocked and water running, to the washing machine, which was bubbling over with water let out._

_The doors were all blocked, the windows all blocked. Except one, the study door. And the camera left there showed Mike and Bailey, the water being let in._

_After the camera had snapped a few hours forward, where both were awake, the water was a few feet up, and Bailey, struggling to keep his head above water, just stopped moving. After another flash forward, to nearly daytime, guessed at about five-thirty, the water had crept up higher, round Mike's lower head. He too had given up._

_Then the creepiest part of the whole tape. It went to just outside Ashdene Ridge and there he was. Rick. Making a shush noise with his finger, his eyes yellow._

_Then it had stopped._

May-Li couldn't believe it. "Rick would never do that, it has to be a mistake; he'd never hurt anyone."

"Ma'am, a witness identified him just outside, nearly ran over him. And the minibus was caught on camera at about seven this morning driving over the limit. The police couldn't catch it, it just swerved so much."

May-Li just couldn't understand. The children had now come over.

"May-Li, what is it?" Carmen asked. Even though she was sick, Tee had come up, asking, "Yeah, has something happened to Mike?"

May-Li bit her lip and turned. She would have to do one of the hardest things she would ever have to do.

"Kids, there was…an incident at Ashdene Ridge this morning. Mike and Bailey have died."

Just silence. Horrible silence. Then Harry began to cry loudly.

May-Li put out her arms and he cried on her top. Tee squeezed Johnny's hand and little Floss went up and held May-Li as well. They didn't know what to say.

_At the dimension, Hank was carrying Fall and holding Jacob's hand. Milly and Mark were holding hands and BB toddled beside them. They were walking._

_Walking to their judgement._

May-Li then asked everyone, "Where is Rick?"

Just then, she saw Faith run from the main door, scared. "Faith? What is it?" May-Li asked.

Before she took in that Faith's hair was loose and she was in her underwear and a jacket, tears running down her face. Faith ran over and held her arms round May-Li, wailing.

Everybody looked as Rick stood at the main door, bewildered, sleepy and frightened. He was topless, had nail-marks on his face and chest, and not really understanding what was happening.

Then his eyes widened.

The police had cordoned off Ashdene Ridge and had removed the bodies. Water damage was everywhere, half of the stuff had to be thrown out. In fact, they'd even taken something out of the attic that no one could recognize. A projector with reels.

But now they had evidence. The report was interesting.

_Boy A, as he is addressed to the public, is considered dangerous. He is held on three charges and since there are drawings of a figure on the walls, as well as ramblings about a cult, there seems to be evidence he is involved in a dangerous cult. This will be researched but at present, he is looking at a minimum of eleven years in correctional facilities. The bodies will be examined at an autopsy and the cult activity will be researched. He will be expected to sign the register on release from prison and is banned from being within 200 feet of schools and playgrounds. The unnamed cult will be investigated but there is enough evidence to believe it is underground and will not be found easily. He will be subjected to therapy in prison and most of his time will be away from most prisoners and under strict instructions. For most of his expected time, he will be only allowed access to lawyers, psychologists and his social worker. The children he has lived with are banned from seeing him. He will considered a danger when released but will be heavily cautioned. Hope of any normal life has gone._

**A/N: Well, did you like my story? Thanks for anyone who liked and reviewed this.**


End file.
